Sunday, July 20, 2014

17 July 2014, New Hampshire: Merrimack Co., Newbury

17 July 2014, New Hampshire: Merrimack Co., Newbury

The long drive is over and so is field work.  I am home again and beginning to work on my fall course in General Biology for non-majors.

14 July 2014, Iowa: Pottawattamie Co., De Soto National Wildlife Refuge

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14 July 2014, Iowa: Pottawattamie Co., De Soto National Wildlife Refuge

Today was another driving home day through Nebraska and Iowa but I did stop by the De Soto National Wildlife Refuge along the Missouri River.

1.     Great Blue Heron
2.     Turkey Vulture
3.     Killdeer
4.     Rock Pigeon
5.     Mourning Dove
6.     Red-headed Woodpecker
7.     Northern Flicker
8.     Eastern Kingbird
9.     Tree Swallow
10. Bank Swallow
11. House Wren
12. Eastern Bluebird
13. American Robin
14. Gray Catbird
15. European Starling
16. Yellow Warbler
17. Common Yellowthroat
18. Field Sparrow
19. Lark Sparrow
20. Northern Cardinal
21. Indigo Bunting
22. Dickcissel
23. Red-winged Blackbird
24. Common Grackle
25. Brown-headed Cowbird
26. Orchard Oriole
27. Baltimore Oriole
28. American Goldfinch
29. House Sparrow

Saturday, July 12, 2014

12 July 2014, Utah: Grand Co., Arches National Park

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12 July 2014, Utah: Grand Co., Arches National Park

We hiked through different parts of Arches National Park beginning near the middle of the Park at the Wolfe Ranch and Delicate Arch.


Arches National Park: Native American Petroglyphs near the Wolfe Ranch (dated 1680 – 1850s)



Arches National Park: Delicate Arch



Arches National Park: Double Arches



Arches National Park: South Window



Arches National Park: Turret Arch



Arches National Park: Park Avenue


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Bird List for 11 – 12 July

1.     Turkey Vulture
2.     Peregrine Falcon
3.     Mourning Dove
4.     Western Kingbird
5.     Northern Raven
6.     Violet-green Swallow
7.     Rock Wren
8.     Bleu-gray Gnatcatcher
9.     Black-throated Sparrow

11 July 2014, Utah: Grand Co., Arches National Park

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11 July 2014, Utah: Grand Co., Arches National Park

We hiked through parts of Arches National Park beginning at the northernmost part of the Park with the Double O Arches.  Our goal was to see and photograph as many of the accessible arches as possible.

Arches National Park: Double O Arches



Arches National Park: Landscape Arch



Arches National Park: Navajo Arch



Arches National Park: Pine Tree Arch



Arches National Park: Tunnel Arch



Arches National Park: Broken Arch



Arches National Park: Partition Arch



Thursday, July 10, 2014

10 July 2014, Utah: Wayne Co., Capitol Reef National Park

10 July 2014, Utah: Wayne Co., Capitol Reef National Park


Kris and I traveled from Bryce Canyon National Park to Moab but we first stopped for one hike in Capitol Reef National Park to Hickman Bridge.

Visitor Center



Chimney Peak



Egyptian Throne



Hickman Bridge


Petroglyphs


Wednesday, July 9, 2014

9 July 2014 Utah: Garfield Co., Bryce National Park

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9 July 2014 Utah: Garfield Co., Bryce National Park

We hiked for a second day among the Hoodoos of Bryce NP along the Peek-A-Boo Trail.

Bryce Canyon NP: Wall of Windows



Bryce Canyon NP: Peek-A-Boo trail near the top



Mossy Cave Trail to the falls at the Tropic Ditch



Bird List for Tropic - Bryce Canyon NP (7-9 July 2014)

1.     Turkey Vulture
2.     Peregrine Falcon
3.     Killdeer
4.     Eurasian Collared Dove
5.     White-throated Swift
6.     Northern Flicker
7.     Violet-green Swallow
8.     Cliff Swallow
9.     Barn Swallow
10. Steller’s Jay
11. Northern Raven
12. Mountain Chickadee
13. White-breasted Nuthatch
14. House Wren
15. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
16. Western Bluebird
17. Hermit Thrush
18. American Robin
19. Warbling Vireo
20. Yellow-rumped Warbler
21. Western Tanager
22. Black-headed Grosbeak
23. Lazuli Bunting
24. Spotted Towhee
25. Dark-eyed Junco
26. Brewer’s Blackbird
27. Western Meadowlark
28. Pine Siskin
29. House Sparrow

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

8 July 2014 Utah: Garfield Co., Bryce National Park

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8 July 2014 Utah: Garfield Co., Bryce National Park

We hiked in Bryce NP today from Sunrise Point to Sunset Point along the Navajo Loop Trail and then on to Bryce Point on the Rim Trail.

 Bryce NP: Hoodoos near the Queen's Garden



Bryce Canyon NP: Sunset Point Hoodoos,  Aquarius in the background


Bryce Canyon NP: Hoodoos near Inspiration Point


Bryce Canyon NP: Grotto near Bryce Point


7 July 2014 Utah: Washington Co., Zion to Garfield Co., Bryce National Park


7 July 2014 Utah: Washington Co., Zion to Garfield Co., Bryce National Park


We finished up in Zion NP with 2 hikes and I took some great video of the Black-throated Sparrow.  The first hike was on the Pa’ Rus trail and the second was to the Outlook near the eastern end of the Park (after the tunnel), overlooking Pines Creek Canyon.

Zion National Park - Pines Creek Canyon



Black-throated Sparrow juv video (best viewed with Safari)




Black-throated Sparrow ad video (best viewed with Safari)

 


We continued to drive to Bryce NP.  We stopped at several points of view from the main road.

Agua Canyon



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Bryce Canyon National Park: Birch Canyon



Bryce Canyon National Park: Natural Bridge



Bryce Canyon National Park: Ponderosa Point



6 July 2014 Utah: Washington Co., Zion National Park, Springdale


6 July 2014 Utah: Washington Co., Zion National Park, Springdale

We did a few hikes in the Park today.  We went to the Emerald Pools and then on to the Scout Lookout near Angel’s Landing.

Virgin River cuts through the canyon





Big Bend




Court of the Patriarchs - Sign




 Court of the Patriarchs - Abraham


Court of the Patriarchs - Isaac




Court of the Patriarchs - Moroni and Jacob


Sunday, July 6, 2014

5 July 2014 Utah: Washington Co., Zion National Park, Springdale

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5 July 2014 Utah: Washington Co., Zion National Park, Springdale

We arrived late in the afternoon and took the shuttle to the Weeping Wall trail. 


2, 3, 4 July 2014, Nevada: Clark Co., Las Vegas

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2, 3, 4 July 2014, Nevada: Clark Co., Las Vegas

I spent the last several days in Las Vegas waiting for Kris to arrive.  We went to Blue Man Group at the Monte Carlo and were no disappointed.  No birding here.  However, we went to Blue Man Group at the Monte Carlo where Kris took some great photos.

Blue Man Group drumming



Blue Man Group - Eyeball drone?



Wednesday, July 2, 2014

1 July 2014 Nevada: Lander Co., Big Creek Rd., near Austin

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1 July 2014 Nevada: Lander Co., Big Creek Rd., near Austin

Today was the last day for research and it was a record breaking day with over 50 males recorded.  It was a great field season.

Representative song from Austin (AU3)
Breeding habitat




State Locality Number of Males
Colorado Pagosa Springs 36
Colorado Nucla 44
New Mexico Oja Sarco - Taos 28
Arizona Canyon Creek, Tonto Creek 7
Utah Kolob Plateau 24
California Riverton 23
California Yosemite 24
California Bishop 5
Nevada Austin 53
Total 244



1.     American Kestrel
2.     Broad-tailed Hummingbird
3.     Northern Flicker
4.     Western Kingbird
5.     Steller’s Jay
6.     Black-billed Magpie
7.     American Crow
8.     House Wren
9.     Hermit Thrush
10. American Robin
11. Warbling Vireo
12. Yellow Warbler
13. MacGillivray’s Warbler
14. Lazuli Bunting
15. Green-tailed Towhee
16. Spotted Towhee
17. Song Sparrow